Loose leaf binding method



Y June 2, 1964 Filed Aug. 6, 1959 L. G. BOUHIER LOOSE LEAF BINDING METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lIVfA/TDR AIMR/VB'S Louis 6. BOI/H/[R I June 2, 1964 L. G. BOUHIER 3,135,256

LOOSE LEAF BINDING METHOD Filed Aug. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L auis G. BOUHIER United States Patent 3,135,266 y LOOSE LEAF BINDING METHOD Louis Gabriel Bouhier, 43 Ave. Carnot, Cachan, France Filed Aug. 6, 1959, Ser; No. 832,016

. 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-24) The present invention relates to the holder of a looseleaf binder for removable paper sheets, which are punched along an edge thereof, and inserted in a plurality of.-rings which can be opened at one location along their circumference. w

The main object of the invention lies in the provision of such a holder which is simple in structure and extremely low in manufacturing cost while being quite ellicient in operation and sturdy in use.

Each holder, made in accordance with the invention, is formed by setting up two identical elongated plate members so that they face one another along a longitudinal edge thereof and; in reverse symmetry. That way, only one simple mold is necessary, as the plates are preferably molded of plastic material. A leaf springholds these two plates together, by pivotally engaging each plate along and near an outer edge thereof andin such a way that the meeting edges of the plate move in toggle joint manner through a dead-center position. On one side of the deadcenter position, the ;paper holding rings are in open position, whereas on the other side, they are in closed position; being urged and kept in each respective position by the driving force of the spring. .7 L- I A better understanding of the invention will'be had by the following description, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. ,1 and 2 show, in perspective view, the holder of the invention in open and closed positions, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the leaf spring used in the holder. v

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken along a vertical plane between the two rings of FIG. 2.

V FIGS. 5 and 6 are two end elevation views ofthe holder, showing the latter in closed and open positions, respectively.

FIG. 7 is a plan View of one of the flat members, shown sectioned so as to more particularly depict the bottom end structure of the flat member.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the general outline of the holder of invention. As seen, the holder is generally composed of two elongated, generally flat base members 2 and 3, held in contact along one of the longitudinal edges (FIGS. 4, 5, 6) by means of leaf spring 1. The sheet holding elements themselves, are a plurality of rings, two being shown, molded in, and vertically projecting from base members 2 and 3. Actually, each single flat base member 2 or 3 is provided with only half rings or prongs 4 or 5, each adapted to mate with a corresponding half ring on a mating base member.

Each base member 2, 3 is provided with two finger levers 10, 11, 12, 13, each being an upstanding, generally fiat, member, outwardly extending in the direction of the longitudinal meeting edge from the opposite edge.

It should be particularly noted that base members 2, 3 are identical and can be molded with'the same mold. In order to produce an assemblysuch as that of FIGS. 1 and 2, it becomes necessary that the distance between lever 11 and its adjacent half ring 4 be shorter than the corresponding distance between lever 10 and its adjacent half ring 4; shorter by a length equal to the thickness of a finger lever. Similarly, the distance between levers 12 and its adjacent half ring 5 is shorter than lever 13 and its half ring 5 by a distance equal to the thickness of a finger lever. This way, when two base plates are assembled, in opposed relationship along a longitudinal ice P edge, as in FIGURES 1 and 2, the half rings 4, 5' will be facing one another.

For the'same reason grooves 7 (FIG. 7) which serves to house one edge of the leaf spring as hereinafter explained, stands away from the ends of the base member, distances L and L that differ from one another by a length equal to the thickness of a finger lever (10, 11, 12, 13).

Similarly, and for. the reason aforesaid, the meeting edge ofeach base member is provided with atongue 14 (FIGS. 4, 6 and 7) and a groove 15, each extending on one half side only of the base, as shown in FIG. 7. This will permit, when two such base members are placed side by side in reversed symmetry with respect .to the meeting line, to'fit tongue 14 into the facing mating groove 15.

Furthermore, one free end of a half ring 4 of a base member 2 is provided with a spherical projection 4a while the end of the other half ring 4 has a spherical housing 412. Projection 4a and housing 4b will meet spherical housing 5b and spherical projection 5a respectively, when coupled to a like base member 3 as shown particularly in FIG- URE 1. 'This will ensure better alignment of the two half rings and prevent lateral displacement when in closed position.

-- The undersurface of eachbase member (2, 3) is cut with a longitudinal re-entrant groove 7 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7) which includes an abutting surface 8, inclined towards the longitudinal meeting edge. A sliding surface 6, inclined away from the meeting edge, joins the other surface, or inner surface of groove .7 and cuts. it short of the undersurface of the base members.

The base members (2, 3) which form the holder, are held together in juxtaposed relationship by means of a leaf-spring D. This leaf spring is a generally flat, elongated, thin bar 1,the longitudinal edges 1a and lb of which are folded inwardly towards one another. In order to increase tension in the spring, when in use, the. latter may be bent slightly upwardlylas atld, FIG, :4. As

the description proceeds,'reference will be made to pivoting. edgev 10, which is the longitudinal edge of the spring (see FIG. 3).

Leaf-spring D is placed into position by pressing the longitudinal edges into re-entrant grooves 7 of two opposing base members 2, 3. This placing operation is helped by the fact that pivoting edge 10 is made to slide along inclined surface 6.

It should be realized that the distance between the bottom of the grooves 7, of two co-operating holder elements 2, 3 is slightly larger than that between pivoting edges 1c of leaf spring D, in the closed position of FIGS. 4 and 5. Consequently, in that position, spring D is under tension and the meeting edges of the base members are urged downwardly towards the leaf spring center surface. This movement is, of course, prevented by the meeting of the half rings 4 and 5. It will be noted also, that in the closed position of the half rings, the meeting axial line of the tongue and groove joint 14, 15 lies parallel to, and below, the plane of the two pivoting edges 1c.

FIGS. 5 and 6 will readily show that opening of the holder (and half rings) is obtained by applying opposed finger pressure on finger levers 10, 11, 12 and 13, more particularly on inclined indented surfaces AB, A'B'. The pressure will, first, overcome the downward pressure. Then, when the meeting axial line is in the aforementioned plane, the vertical spring pressure is nil. As soon as the meeting line moves above the said plane, the spring pressure vertical component is reversed and the force is directed upwardly. Upward movement of the meeting line is, however, limited and stops when the outward surface of the spring longitudinaledges 1a and and 1b as they near this condition.

Closing may be obtained by applying reverse pressure, either on half rings 4, 5 or on the edges of upward portions 11', 12', and 13 of finger levers 10, 11, 12, 13.

Perforations 9 (FIG. 3) shown on flat surface 1 of spring D serve in fixing the holder onto the back of a binding cover. 1

Each holder element is, preferably, a one piece plastic article, preferably a polyamide or polyester and comprises a base member (2, 3), a series of half rings (4, 5) and two finger levers (10, 11, 12, 13) one at each end of the base member.

What is claimed is:

1. A loose-leaf binder comprising:

(a) two identical one-piece plastic molded holder ele- 'ments each comprising: j

(1) an elongated base having a longitudinal meeting side edge; I

(2) a rounded tongue extending along substantially one half only of the length of said side edge and a rounded groove extending along substantially the other half of the length;

(3) at least one pair of spaced prongs vertically projecting from the base of each element and bending towards said side edge intermediate the ends of'the base;

(4) a finger lever vertical-1y projecting from each end of said base and bending towards said meeting edge; p

'(5) 'a longitudinal channel in the undersurface of said base and inclined upwardly from said undersurface towards said meeting edge;

(6) an inner wall to said channel inclined up,- wardly from said undersurface in the direction of said edge and a sliding surface inclined upwardly from said undersurface away from said 5 edge and joining the undersurface of the base and the said innerwall;

(b) said holder elements edgedly facing one another in reverse symmetry with respect to their respective meeting edge with said tongue and groove of one element mating with the corresponding groove and tongue of the other corresponding element and with said prongs of one element being transversely aligned with corresponding prongs on the other element;

(c) a substantially flat leaf-spring having longitudinal edges bending toward one another; each of said edges being received within the said channels;

(d) the tips of said spring edges engaging the bottoms of said channels, the spring resiliently urging the meeting edges of the holder elements against cachother, said elements being pivotable about said tips and their mating rounded grooves and tongues from a closed position wherein the free ends of said aligned prongs abut to an open position wherein said free ends are spaced apart, said tongues and grooves being below said tips in said closed position and above said tips in said open position;

(e) the distance between the finger lever of one end of each base and its immediately adjacent prong being smaller than the corresponding distance between the finger lever of the other end of the base and its immediately adjacent prongs, the finger levers at each end of the bases crossing in said closed position.

2. A loose-leaf binder holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein: V I

(a) the distance between the finger lever of one end of the base and its immediately adjacent prong is smaller than the corresponding distance between the finger lever of the other end of the base and its immediately adjacent prong;

(b) there is provided an outer wall to each'channel,

facing said inner wall, said inwardly bent longitudinal edges of the spring abutting said outer wall in said open position of the binder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Jan. 26, 1959 

1. A LOOSE-LEAF BINDER COMPRISING: (A) TWO IDENTICAL ONE-PIECE PLASTIC MOLDED HOLDER ELEMENTS EACH COMPRISING: (1) AN ELONGATE BASE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL MEETING SIDE EDGE; (2) A ROUNDED TONGUE EXTENDING ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY ONE HALF ONLY OF THE LENGTH OF SAID SIDE EDGE AND A ROUNDED GROOVE EXTENDING ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY THE OTHER HALF OF THE LENGTH; (3) AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SPACED PRONGS VERTICALLY PROJECTING FROM THE BASE OF EACH ELEMENT AND BENDING TOWARDS SAID SIDE EDGE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE BASE; (4) A FINGER LEVER VERTICALLY PROJECTING FROM EACH END OF SAID BASE AND BENDING TOWARDS SAID MEETING EDGE; (5) A LONGITUDINAL CHANNEL IN THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAID BASE AND INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID UNDER SURFACE TOWARDS SAID MEETING EDGE; (6) AN INNER WALL TO SAID CHANNEL INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID UNDERSURFACE AWAY FROM SAID EDGE AND JOINING THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE BASE AND THE SAID INNER WALL; 